Allentown council delays vote on fire school sale

February 06, 2013|By Emily Opilo, Of The Morning Call | By Emily Opilo, Of The Morning Call

Allentown City Council delayed a vote Wednesday that would authorize the sale of land near the Queen City Airport until the city receives authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration.

City officials have proposed selling the 2.4-acre parcel for $978,000 to Health Network Laboratories for expansion of its nearby facility. The land has been used for the city's fire training complex, but the new building would bring 250 new jobs to the area, city officials said.

But the sale has been questioned in the past by the Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Department of Justice, which were parties in an agreement that granted the land to the city.

A July 2012 letter from the FAA states that the sale would violate the agreement, which recognized the city's retention and ownership of the property in perpetuity.

"A sale of a portion of this parcel would not appear to be consistent with the express terms of the settlement agreement," the letter states.

Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski said last month that the city has been working with the FAA to iron out an agreement and settle on a fair value for the land. Council delayed a vote Wednesday until the city receives written authorization from the FAA and the Department of Justice.

Fran Dougherty, city managing director, said he expects the two to issue a joint opinion.

If the sale is approved, the city would move fire classrooms on the site to the city's police training academy, and firefighters would train at a newly constructed tower in Emmaus.